Coyotes power by Swedes in season finale
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Scott Moore sacks Bethany quarterback Ryan Campbell in the fourth quarter of Wesleyan's 31-16 win over the Swedes (Photo by Jack Morris)

Kansas Wesleyan honored its football seniors before the game, and sent them out in style as the Coyotes dominated the Bethany Swedes en route to a 31-16 win on Saturday at Salina Stadium.

Senior tailback Darell Grames moved into third all-time on the KWU rushing leaders list on his first carry of the game. Only needing two yards to move past Ron West, Grames carried for ten on his first touch.

Wesleyan took first possession of the game, and capitalized on the drive, with a two-yard Grames run to take a 6-0 lead. The drive appeared to stall at the Bethany-29, but a Swede penalty for running into the kicker, gave the Coyotes new life and four plays later, Grames capped the 15 play, 88-yard drive. After a penalty on the point after, Michael Barry’s try from 25-yards was no good.

Bethany was able to get on the board just before the end of the first quarter with a 28-yard Jon Cox field goal, but the Swedes had a chance to put a touchdown on the board, having first and goal at the KWU-8 after a 12-yard Ryan Campbell pass to Brandon Krinhop. Bethany got to the KWU-4, but was called for a holding penalty, pushing them back to the 14, and was unable to get any closer than the KWU-11.

Wesleyan again capitalized on its next drive, this time a three-yard Grames run, capping the 12 play, 85-yard drive, that was again extended by a big Swede penalty. Andy Bean was stopped short of the first down at the Bethany-15, but a personal foul facemask gave the Coyotes a first and goal at the seven, and two plays later Grames scored. The Coyotes went for two but Justin Schropp’s pass to Marcus Lowe was no good, giving the Coyotes a 12-3 lead with 10:32 left in the second.

The Coyotes had a short field on its next drive after a Bethany punt, at the Bethany 46, and the Coyotes scored again just five plays later. A 31-yard Schropp to Lowe pass play set up two Grames runs, including the 13-yard scoring play and kick by Barry gave Wesleyan a 19-3 lead with 6:25 left.

The Coyotes would take the 19-3 lead into the halftime break.

KWU would again capitalize on its first drive of the second half, again using a Bethany penalty to keep the drive alive. Wesleyan’s drive appeared to stall at its own 41 after an incomplete pass from Schropp to Drew Phillips, but the Swedes were called for a penalty on the punt play, giving Wesleyan a first down. Eight plays later, Grames scored his fourth touchdown of the game from seven yards out, and senior quarterback Zac Foster came into run the PAT, but was stopped just short of the goal line for the PAT attempt.

Back to back Bethany penalties on its next drive forced a Swede punt, giving the Coyotes the ball back at their own 44-yard line. The Coyotes gave the ball back to the Swedes two plays later as DeChad Ward mishandled the option pitch, and Willie Bright recovered it at the Wesleyan-35. Five plays later, Ryan Campbell hit Porfirio Mendoza from nine yards out and Jon Cox’s PAT was good, making the score 25-10 in favor of the Coyotes.

Grames had a 68-yard run just before the end of the third, setting up Wesleyan with a first and goal at the Bethany-4, and three plays later, Schropp coasted untouched into the endzone from six yards out for the score, and Salvador Arceo’s PAT try was wide left.

Bethany turned to the air for its last three drives, but only scored one time, and threw two interceptions in the process. Campbell passed five times on the Swede’s next drive, completing three, including the scoring play from 12 yards out to Adam Bearden. Colten Campbell blocked Cox’s PAT attempt, and Coyotes held a 31-16 lead with 12:48 left.

Wesleyan’s next drive appeared to stall at the Bethany-45, but the Swedes were called for illegal participation on the punt, giving the Coyotes a first down at the Bethany-30. The Coyotes could get no closer than the 23, where Andy Bean was stopped on an end around on fourth down by Mike Cuestas.

Bethany got into Wesleyan territory on a 31-yard pass to Robert Bieger to the KWU-34, but a holding call on the next play pushed the Swedes back to the 44, when Willie Johnson picked off his six pass of the season at the KWU-14. The Coyotes could get no further than their own 29, where the Coyotes gave the ball back to the Swedes at the Bethany 40 following the Fronce punt. Campbell was called for an illegal forward pass on the first play of the drive, but Wesleyan gave Bethany a first down later in the drive, after being called for a late hit, giving the Swedes the ball at the KWU-38.

Campbell then looked down the left side for Bearden, but Chase Weber stepped in front of the pass for Wesleyan’s second interception of the game, and the Coyotes were able to run out the clock for the 31-16 win.

Grames led the potent Wesleyan (8-2, 7-2) rushing attack with 35 carries for 218 yards and four touchdowns. The Coyotes had 333 yards as a team rushing, as Schropp added eight carries for 71 yards and a score. Schropp was 8-of-14 for 65 yards, and Fronce added a pass for seven yards on a fake punt attempt. Lowe led the Coyote receivers with five catches for 53 yards while four other Coyotes had one catch each.

Wesleyan’s defense held Bethany (2-8, 2-7) to only 51 yards rushing on 19 carries, led by Campbell with five for 22 yards. Campbell was 16-of-32 passing for 182 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Robert Bieger led the Bethany receivers with seven catches for 126 yards, while Bearden added three for 25 yards and one score.

-- KWU SI --